Measuring well system efficiency using tube waves

Abstract

Techniques for measuring well systems using tube waves may include performing a simulation of a stage of the well system based, at least in part, on stage design characteristics. The techniques may further include determining expected stage characteristics based, at least in part, the simulation. The techniques may further include generating measured stage characteristics based, at least in part, on a tube wave signal corresponding to a tube wave that occurred in the well system. The techniques may further include determining at least one stage efficiency metric based, at least in part, on the expected stage characteristics and the measured stage characteristics.

1 . A method for determining an efficiency of a well system, the method comprising:
 performing a simulation of a stage of the well system based, at least in part, on stage design characteristics;   determining expected stage characteristics based, at least in part, the simulation;   generating measured stage characteristics based, at least in part, on a tube wave signal corresponding to a tube wave that occurred in the well system; and   determining at least one stage efficiency metric based, at least in part, on the expected stage characteristics and the measured stage characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating the tube wave in the well system; and   transforming the tube wave into the tube wave signal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said performing the simulation of the stage of the well system comprises determining a design-corrected resistance of the stage based, at least in part, on an expected perforation diameter and a discharge coefficient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said determining at least one stage efficiency metric comprises determining a metric that correlates with an amount of erosion in one or more perforations associated with the stage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said determining the metric that correlates with the amount of erosion in the one or more perforations associated with the stage comprises determining a ratio of a measured resistance of the stage to a design-corrected resistance of the stage. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a calculated number of perforations based, at least in part, on the measured stage characteristics, wherein the measured stage characteristics comprise at least a measured resistance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining a ratio of the calculated number of perforations to a design number of perforations. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining an estimated eroded area based, at least in part, on the measured stage characteristics, wherein the measured stage characteristics comprise at least a measured resistance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining based, at least in part, on the at least one stage efficiency metric that one or more perforations is eroded more than expected, that one or more perforations is blocked more than expected, or that a plug has leakage. 
     
     
         10 . A well system comprising:
 one or more computing systems comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums including instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine an efficiency of the well system, the instructions including:
 instructions to perform a simulation of a stage of the well system based, at least in part, on stage design characteristics; 
 instructions to determine expected stage characteristics based, at least in part, the simulation; 
 instructions to generate measured stage characteristics based, at least in part, on a tube wave signal corresponding to a tube wave that occurred in the well system; and 
 instructions to determine at least one stage efficiency metric based, at least in part, on the expected stage characteristics and the measured stage characteristics. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The well system of  claim 10 , further comprising a device configured to transform the tube wave into the tube wave signal, wherein the device is communicatively coupled with the one or more computing systems. 
     
     
         12 . The well system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions to perform the simulation of the stage of the well system include instructions to determine a design-corrected resistance of the stage based, at least in part, on an expected perforation diameter and a discharge coefficient. 
     
     
         13 . The well system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions to determine at least one stage efficiency metric includes instructions to determine at least one of a deviation ratio, a perforation deviation ratio, or an eroded area deviation ratio. 
     
     
         14 . The well system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions to determine the at least one stage efficiency metric includes instructions to determine a ratio of a measured resistance of the stage to a design-corrected resistance of the stage. 
     
     
         15 . The well system of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine based, at least in part, on the measured resistance and the design-corrected resistance of the stage, that one or more perforations is eroded more than predicted by the simulation, that one or more perforations is blocked more than predicted by the simulation, or that a leak may be present in a plug. 
     
     
         16 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine an efficiency of a well system, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to perform a simulation of a stage of the well system based, at least in part, on a discharge coefficient, wherein the discharge coefficient is associated with a rate of erosion of one or more perforations in the stage;   instructions to determine a design-corrected resistance of the stage based, at least in part, the simulation;   instructions to generate a measured resistance of the stage based, at least in part, on a tube wave signal corresponding to a tube wave that occurred in the well system; and   instructions to determine at least one stage efficiency metric based, at least in part, on the design-corrected resistance of the stage and the measured resistance of the stage.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions to determine the at least one stage efficiency metric includes instructions to determine a ratio of the measured resistance of the stage to the design-corrected resistance of the stage. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine a calculated number of perforations based, at least in part, on the measured resistance of the stage. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further include:
 instructions to determine a design-corrected eroded area based, at least in part, on a design number of perforations;   instructions to determine a calculated eroded area based on the calculated number of perforations; and   instructions to determine a ratio of the calculated eroded area to the design-corrected eroded area.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further include determining a ratio of the calculated number of perforations to an expected number of perforations.